The Google Play Store is getting a smart upgrade from the Crowdsourcing app that should improve the performance of the app and phone for everyone, whether they contribute or not.
9to5Google has unveiled an official Google support page for something called ‘app installation optimization’, and although the feature is not yet available, the site notes that references to it are included in the latest version of the software, indicating that it is not too far away.
According to the document, the use of app installation is monitored by its use when installing software for the first time, so that the business can learn which parts of a given app are most useful to the average Android owner. “This information is combined with data from other people who use the app to find trends and identify which parts of the app are most important to everyone,” the support document explains.
Taking something like YouTube as an example, the system can judge that most people use the app to consume video content, and few use it to upload videos or to stream live. In such a case, the download of the video playback elements in the Google Play Store can be pre-set and only the extras provided if it is actively needed.
According to Google, the benefit of this is threefold. First of all, the installation times of the app will speed up as you only get the pieces that most users need to get started. Secondly, it should reduce the amount of time it takes to open and reduce applications, because the less used features do not spoil things. This in turn would “reduce the voltage on your device’s CPU, battery and storage. ‘
Google would like to emphasize that the optimization of app installations does not collect any personal information and does not look beyond the app that analyzes it. In the support document, it will still be possible not to be monitored via the settings menu of the Play Store.
Interestingly, you can not refrain from enjoying the benefit of broader community app oversight. “If you disable the app installation optimization, your apps may still benefit from data collected from other people,” the support document explains. While it is clear if everyone follows the approach, the scarce data no longer ceases and the benefits disappear with it.
Again, this feature is not currently available, so it is not clear how much it will affect the performance of the app. While those with brand new Android phones the best of the series may not see the difference, it can be a game changer for those who are frustrated by poor performance on budget devices.